Disaster averted in house fire
The Kahnawake Fire Brigade (KFB) was called to a house fire on Monday, but upon arrival a resident of the house had already extinguished it - using knowledge he gained at Kahnawake’s very own Junior Fire Brigade.
“He’s my superhero. I’m so proud of him,” said Naomi Rice, mother of Onerahtaken:ra Rice, the man who put out the fire.
“Even the Fire Brigade is proud of him,” she said. “He did the Junior Fire Brigade, and then he went to the Vermont Fire Academy two years in a row, so he knew exactly what to do.”
The Junior Fire Brigade is a series of lessons meant to inform individuals, specifically youth, on the importance of fire safety.
KFB chief Wihse Stacey takes pride in the fact that Onerahtaken:ra had taken the Junior Fire Brigade course and was able to put it to good use.
“Knowing that he had the skills to save his family’s home and react in a time of crisis, when most people would be panicking, he took training that he got and put it to use. Very proud,” he said.
“It actually sort of reaffirmed to me the need for that program.”
To Stacey, this incident highlights the importance of fire safety awareness.
“I think one of the important parts is working smoke alarms, having a proper fire extinguisher, and even another step farther, having an escape plan and a proper gathering point is important,” he said.
Although the house was saved, the home was still damaged in the fire, according to Naomi.
“My whole kitchen has to be completely redone, but it’s mostly from smoke damage, because he caught the fire so fast,” she said.
Naomi warned people to look out for any odd smells inside the home, believing a smell she had noticed was linked to the fire.
“I was smelling something in my house. It smelled like fart. It was a real overwhelming smell, like my whole upstairs smelled like that,” said Naomi. “My father said there was probably a leak in the freezer already to begin with. That was the day before the fire happened.”
Naomi endorses the Junior Fire Brigade courses, wanting more kids, teens, and young adults to learn how to deal with fires. She thanked the community for an outpouring of support following the fire.
Onerahtaken:ra, for his part, wanted community members to know some basic fire safety tips.
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“Make sure to check your smoke detectors. Ours didn’t go off,” said Onerahtaken:ra. “Also be aware where all your fire extinguishers are in the house and make sure they’re up to date.”
